Of Father and Son
by l'Ciel
Summary: repost: A Severitus' challenge. Set in 7th year, with a summary for sixth year included, canon, OotP compatible,


**Of Father and Son**

**Part One**

_Author: l'Ciel_

_Fandom: Harry Potter_

_Pairing(s): implied RL/CW, DM/HG, RW/PP, SS/LE, LE/JP_

_Rating: R_

_Warning: slash, non-consensual groping, violence_

_Summary: A Severitus' challenge. Set in 7th year, with a summary for sixth year included, canon, OotP compatible, Harry is Snape's son!_

As if the fifth year had not been bad enough! It had already begun on the train, when Death Eaters had attacked it not far from London. Though the Order had been able to safe most of the students, many, especially in the back of the train, had lost their life.

Then, on Halloween Voldemort had raided the homes of the Muggle-born students attending Hogwarts, including the half-bloods and Muggle-lovers, for example the Weasleys. In that particular case, nobody had died , but Bill had been severely wounded, tied to the wheelchair from thereon. Percy, living in Diagon Alley for quite some time, had found his flat destroyed and his pregnant girlfriend, Penelope, dead. The incident seemed to have some affect on him, as he joined the Order of the Phoenix the same night.

The next hard blow came on Christmas eve, when Death Eaters had attacked Diagon Alley.

But with the new year the odds began to change: With some special training Harry Potter received from his Potions Professor the boy grew stronger every day, and more and more dangerous. After the incident at the Ministry of Magic '95 the young man had developed some cool determination to erase the Dark Lord, that even frightened his best friends.

When Voldemort finally attacked his aunt's and uncle's home during the summer holidays between his sixth and seventh year at Hogwarts, the boy somehow snapped, as the newspapers said, and forced the Dark Lord to run, when the aurors arrived.

On that fateful day in July, shortly before his seventeenth birthday, Harry Potter, the boy-who-lived became a real threat in Voldemort's eyes.

The first sunbeams lightened the Gryffindor seventh year boy's dormitory, when a young man with untidy black hair grunted into the pillow and scratched his balls lazily. He sighed softly and pushed himself up from the large four-poster bed. The scarlet red curtains were only partly pulled and the sunlight tickled his bare, smooth chest. He sat on the bed, his legs crossed in front of him and blinked a few times, stretching his arms and combing through his messy hair with his fingers, before he got up silently and made his way to the bathroom. Splashing some cold water into his face, he quickly scrubbed his teeth and climbed in one of the shower stalls. Smoothing the white bar of soap over his chest he hummed a tune he had heard somewhere during the holidays. ("…killing me softly, with this song…") Unfortunately that reminded him of his relative's dead bodies and he changed the song, while soaping his hair. (…you sweet six, six, six to my heart…)

From inside the shower he heard another boy enter, probably Neville, as Ron tended to sleep until the last minute, barely in time for breakfast, just like Dean, and Seamus usually returned from the Astronomy tower or some abandoned classroom, where he spent the night with one of his girlfriends.

Harry stopped singing to greet Neville, who smiled at him and did his own morning routine. Long after Neville had exited the washroom, Harry still stood in front of the full height mirror combing his hair, but without any success.

When he was finished Ron and Dead just had entered, the former grumbling about Harry's new beauty "tick" as he called it and dumping his head into the sink for what he called a wash. The redhead had been quite grumpy and unbalanced since his mother's death.

Harry shrugged and returned to the dormitory to choose his today's clothing. Besides the universal black robes with the school crest, he had purchased some better clothing this summer while staying with Remus, than he ever had had at the Dursleys. Though they were nothing special, he cherished the fitting things. They were a sign of his new independence!

He selected some plain black boxers from his trunk along with black socks, black jeans and a white shirt, before he took his school robes from the hook at the wall and stepped into his new boots. He smiled confidently at Dean, who was now nearly a whole head shorter than him and left the dormitory to go to breakfast. On the way he met Hermione in the common room and they descended the stairs. In the entrance hall Draco joined them, demanding Hermione's attention for him. She giggled as he whispered something into her ear and disappeared with her new boyfriend outside.

Harry shook his head and chuckled, as he entered the great hall alone. Who would have though that Draco Malfoy of all people would turn against his father's will and befriend a Muggle born? Well, then – Lucius Malfoy could hardly complain, currently residing sixth feet under the earth. Draco's mother obviously had not questioned her son's choice, but even sent some treats to Hermione along with her son's weekly supply, a habit from earlier years she had resumed after Lucius was gone, much to Draco's embarrassment.

All in all, Draco made a fine friend, though Ron and he still avoided direct contact, probably because of Hermione, Harry mused, when he sat down at the Gryffindor table.

Looking up to the staff table, he smiled to Professor Lupin, who had returned this year to teach DADA again. Obviously the school governors preferred someone trusted over a stranger, even if this person was not entirely human.

He never suspected anything, when he sipped from his goblet, but when he tasted the metallic liquid, his insides churned and he spit it onto the table in front of him. Whatever the substance was, it tasted of blood and something he could not identify.

While he was still choking on the potion, Snape and Mc'Gonagall had rushed to his side and while his head of house slapped his back to relieve his coughing, Snape smelled the remaining liquid in the goblet and furrowed his brow. At that point, all eyes in the hall were turned on him, when he blacked out…

When he awoke, he immediately recognized the sterile smell as the hospital wing. Groaning slightly he checked his body for any pain, put the only thing odd he found was a low tingling inside his chest, right below the breastbone.

The he heard voices from behind the curtain around his cot:

"…that is impossible. Even if that stupid girl tried that, she must have had some of his or my blood! It can't work otherwise! But then possibly Potter was foolish enough to give it to her!", someone spat. Snape.

"I agree.", that was the voice of the headmaster, weary and exhausted, "But it might be possible, that the brewer just took the blood without asking. We won't know until he wakes, what I believe, is now. How are you, Mr. Potter?", the old wizard pulled the curtain aside.

"I think alright. What happened? I can only remember drinking some weird stuff and then – nothing, just that tingling feeling and nothing. How long was I out?", Harry stated confused and looked around. The only occupants of the infirmary were Madame Pomfrey, the headmaster, Professor Snape and he himself.

"About a week.", Madam Pomfrey said.

/So long?/

My dear boy,", the headmaster started, what did not bode well, "I believe somebody tried to use a love potion on you. These are restricted for several reasons, one, that they are extremely complicated to brew and easily botched up, and for the fact that some form bonds without the consent of the second party. In your case the spell was very simple in itself, but backfired on the brewer in some form, as said person only discovered something else."

"And… what?"

"Somebody apparently put some charms on you based on the same magic and the potion she tried to use worked against that. It destroyed the previous spell, instead of making you fall in love.", Dumbledore explained further.

"Oh.", Harry said numbly and swallowed, "But why was a spell placed on me?"

"It appears it was cast shortly after your birth. A concealing spell, to change your outer appearance. The change back during your blackout was gradually, and I think it will continue for a while. Maybe you should see for yourself?", the headmaster said calmly, his eyes twinkling madly.

The boy looked into the mirror the mediwitch handed him and paled.

"I don't look like me anymore! I don't even look like my parents anymore! But how…", he stuttered wildly, "Why? Can you tell me? Please, you have to!"

Dumbledore sighed: "Harry, we did a little test. There is no way to say it, but bluntly – you are not James Potter's son."

"WHAT? Are you crazy? Excuse me, but this had to be some sick form of joke! Of course it has to be prank!", Harry yelled desperately.

"He would hardly bother with it, if it were.", Snape deadpanned , interrupting his yelling. Harry's eyes widened and he apologized automatically, before he turned back on Dumbledore and stared at the older man incredulously, trying to figure out what this was all about.

" Why? Who am I then? I want to know right now!", Harry screamed, eyes wide with fear and confusion.

Snape shook his head and sat down next to his bed, not looking at him. Pomfrey swallowed and nodded to Dumbledore, who sighed again: "Harry, you are Severus' son."

/NO!/

The boy jumped up from the cot, stumbled over his own legs, barefoot, before storming out and leaving two worried and one angry face behind.

Harry ran, the hospital gown clinging gracelessly to his lean form in the light rain, as he raced over the grounds toward the forest. All he knew was to get away as quickly as possible. He could not use such complications, now, that everything was finally fine.

/Not now, please not now!/, he thought desperately, /And not THIS!/

He did not know how long he had been running through the woods, when he came to halt at the border of a clearing. A small pond was nourished from a waterfall coming from above the stonewall. Ancient tress lined the clearing. The grass was green and rich, white flowers scattered among the green. And then he saw them: a herd of unicorns grazing near the pond. It was then, when one looked up to him, that he left himself lost in those sapphire blue orbs. The animal's fur shore silver in the light of the rising moon, When had it become night?

Then he heard a noise behind him and the unicorns shied away, just when he noticed, that he had no wand with him. He was absolutely defenceless. Panicking, he searched his surroundings for a hiding place, when he heard a low panting some yards behind him. Spotting a narrow creak between the rocks above the pond near the waterfall, he crossed the clearing in a haste and climbed the stony wall. Once relatively safe, he scanned the clearing for signs of the predator, when he suddenly felt a hand grasp his ankle and pull him out of the creak. Screaming, he kicked the thing, but it was much stronger than him and he fell over, falling from his hiding place and pulling the creature along with him onto the ground.

When he struggled for breath, something pulled him up and he breathed shakily, when he heard the familiar snarl:

"Next time you want to kill yourself, inform he beforehand, so that I can get ready for it!"

"Fuck of, Snape!", Harry spat and yelped, when the professor pulled him from the muddy grass. Snape eyed the hospital gown mockingly and handed him, much to Harry' astonishment, his cloak.

"Why do you-", he began, but Snape cut him off.

"As your teacher, I believe it is my duty to take care of you. In only that gown you will surely get pneumonia and I have no time to brew the potion for it, as it takes several days to brew, in which you might have died already, though that condition would have a certain appeal now… not that I wish for you to die in general, but I cherished my personal freedom up to this infernal moment of stupidity, when Miss Weasley tried to bind you to her."

Then it had been Ginny? Harry had known about her crush on him, but never taken it serious. Surely Ginny would not have been this stupid… okay, maybe she was.

And while they walked back to the castle, Snape walked in utter silence, while Harry gave him sideways looks now and then.

It seemed to be the first time they actually agreed with each other – this was a disaster!

At the castle doors, Mc'Gonagall awaited them. She looked stern and Harry lowered his gaze, when she suddenly seeped up to him and pulled him into a tight hug.

"Mr. Potter, have you any idea how reckless that was! Running into the forest by full moon!", she sighed relieved and released him, still one hand on his shoulder, "Why don't you come with me and I escort you to the Gryffindor tower, Harry?"

"Yes, of course, Professor. Good bye, Professor Snape. Thanks for saving me once again.", Harry said self consciously and turned towards the stairs to follow Mc'Gonagall.

"You're welcome, Potter.", Snape said nonchalantly behind him.

In front of the Fat Lady, Mc'Gonagall squeezed his hand, but before she could say anything, Harry interrupted her.

"Excuse me, Professor. I think I better return to the dorm now. I believe it's been enough information for one day", his voice faltered slightly.

"Of course, child. Take care of you – and Harry?", she asked behind him.

"Yes, Professor?", he asked, turning in the doorframe.

"Severus is not as bad as you may think right now. Give him a chance, will you?"

"I… I will think about, thank you, Professor."

"Good night, Mr. Potter."

"Night ma'am."

When he entered the common room, suddenly everybody stared at him. He faked a smile and went to the stairs to the boy's dormitories, when somebody touched his shoulder – Ron.

"Who are you?", asked the redhead sceptically.

"What?", Harry asked confused, before he remembered the face he had seen in the mirror – not his face, "Uh, it's me, Harry, but the Potion in my drink this morning made me look like Snape, at least partially. Don't worry, it's nothing serious."

Ron looked bluffed and shook his head.

"Merlin, whoever did that did it well! I really did not recognize you – are you really Harry?", Rob asked again.

"I solemnly swear I am up to no good.", Harry said into his ear and Ron seemed convinced.

"Right, mate. Fuck – I hope you'll be back to normal soon! I mean, you're quite nice looking for a Snape, but still…you know what I mean", he grinned and Harry ascended the stairs.

Up in the dorm, he dropped the forced smile and slumped down on his bed. He took a few deep breathes and got up to look into the mirror. As there was non in the dorm, he went into the bathroom and closed his eyes firmly, before he had positioned himself directly in front of one on the sinks, mirror above.

The sight was astonishing: The first think he noticed was, that his eyes had stayed the same, and that was the only thing that was! He was several inches taller, formerly tiny 5.5, he was now at least 6 feet tall, if not more. His nose was bigger and slightly crooked, but in no way as huge or ugly as Snape's. His face was more defined and the skin paler. His hair had grown over his shoulders and was tickling his waist.

"Is that why I never needed a real haircut all these years?", he mused loudly.

Then he noticed, that he did not need his glasses anymore, either. At least one positive thing!

To numb to think, probably because of the shock, Harry fell asleep as soon as he had returned to his bed. He never noticed the worried face of Professor Lupin's, when the werewolf tucked the covers around him, on which he had fallen asleep, or his dorm mates, that looked at him curiously, shrugged and went to bed.

When he awoke the next morning, a Saturday, the other boys in the dorm had already left for breakfast. Smiling he thought about the weird nightmare he had had and rolled over, just to find his hand tangled in a mass of long hair.

/Long hair?/

"Shit!", he cursed, fully awake now. He stared at his hands in disbelieve. Even the fingers had changed. Long and pale – just like Snape's! He was sure that they had been normal yesterday, or rather, what he had considered 'normal' for seventeen years of his life.

He was too distracted to hear the door open and Lupin enter. Just when the werewolf sat on his bedside, he looked up and saw the truth in the amber eyes.

"Oh, Harry…", his teacher smiled sadly and hugged the distraught teenager.

"Remus.", Harry sobbed into the now smaller man's shoulder, his long, lanky arms wrapped around the other's neck. Remus stoked his back soothingly and Harry calmed down a bit.

When he trusted his voice again, he looked up and found Remus staring at him.

"What's wrong? Am I that ugly?", he asked self consciously.

"No, Harry. If anything, you are astonishingly handsome. I never guessed somebody with Snape genes could be that, but there's always a first I guess. And Severus' isn't really ugly, he just does not care for himself.", Remus explained lightly.

"He's a fully grown wizard. He should be able to do so!", the youth pouted.

"He is.", Remus said, I tad more serious, "You have to understand, that not taking care of oneself can also have a psychological background. Think of everything Severus has been through. It might be an act of self degradation. Don't judge him without knowing him, Harry. Whatever you heard or thought, he is still a hero and even if he did not know you were his son, he always protected you with his life. Have you ever thanked him for that?"

Harry swallowed guiltily.

"I guess not.", Remus stated for him and Harry nodded numbly.

"Then maybe you should give him a chance to explain, don't you think?", The werewolf went on, "If I have learned one thing in my life, then it is that you should never go after appearances, outer and inner, because what you see is not always the truth, but what people want you to believe. Think about it, will you?"

"Yes.", Harry answered meekly and hid his face in Remus' shoulder, before he sighed and got up. The professor grunted approvingly and left him alone to change for the day.

Down in the great hall, Albus Dumbledore heaped some beacon on his Potions professor's plate. Severus grunted annoyed and tried to stop him half heartily, but to no avail.

"Severus, my boy, you have to eat!", the headmaster said with puppy-dog eyes.

/Disgusting!/

"No, thank you, Albus. I'm really not hungry.", he said in his calmest voice.

Dumbledore sighed.

"I know all this is very difficult for you, but I must ask you to eat. How will you rise your son, of you don't even take care of yourself. This has gone for far too long and I won't let it pass any longer! Tomorrow you will wash yourself properly, before you come up for breakfast. You will spend some time outside today, even if I have to drag you by a collar, and you will enjoy some free time for yourself without research or school work. You need some free time and if you can't enjoy yourself here at school then I will order you some holiday! Your body won't go along with your treatment much longer, don't you see it!"

"Albus, stop!"

"You're all skin and bones, working 24/7 and the only time you actually relax is with a bottle of fire whiskey! This can't go on!"

"ALBUS! Not in front of the whole school!", Severus yelled desperately, while most of the staff members and even some students stared at him and the headmaster concernedly.

"Now, now, Severus. A little publicity might convince you a little better that an old, senile man! And anyway, you haven't had a sherbet lemon for over fife years. Don't you want to join me in my office for tea? Severus?", Albus asked worriedly.

Minerva sighed.

"Albus, Severus and I had sherbet lemon's yesterday in your office. Don't you remember?"

Dumbledore looked at her warily and then rubbed his temples.

"Oh, yes – yes. I think I forgot. I'm getting old, my dear. Yes, indeed! Maybe it is time you take over the ship, Minerva. Yes, indeed…", he muttered and smiled like only Albus Dumbledore could in such a situation.

Minerva and Severus exchanged worried glances. During the last few weeks Dumbledore had aged more quickly then in the last two decades. It seemed, the glorious time as headmaster of Hogwarts neared its end rather quickly. A staff meeting was in order.

Harry did not dare look at… his father, when he entered the hall. But nobody paid him attention anyway, when he sat down between Ron and Ginny.

"I think Dumbledore is finally loosing it!", Ron exclaimed silently, a little sad, and turned to Harry, "How are you, mate. Been in the hospital wing awfully long – we were worried 'bout you, what happened?"

"You – don't know?", he asked and gazed over to Ginny, who blushed furiously and looked away.

"I know my silly sister tried to make you fall for her, but Mc'Gonagall said, it didn't work, so I guess it must be something else, then?"

"Yeah. I'm fine. Just that the potion messed my looks up, you see?", Harry said and shrugged.

"Ye nah foolin ol' Ron!", Ron said and gazed into his eyes intently, "What's been up, mate. Botched love potions don't have that effect, so much I know!"

"Right. Fine. I'll tell you after breakfast, but it's really shitty and I don't know how you'll react. Hell, I don't even know how I should react!", he sighed in defeat.

"Blast!", Ron said beside him and Ginny squeaked, staring into the opposite direction.

"So what is the big secret this time?", Ron asked, when they had left the castle behind. They sat down under a tree near the lake and Harry sighed, leaning against the tree trunk, staring into the sky. Ron sat beside him, looking up, but not really, as he observed his friend's expressions now and then.

After some minutes, Harry cleared his throat.

"What do you think Sirius would day, when he knew I was Snape's son?"

"Are you?"

"Yes."

"..!"

"..!"

"Fuck!"

"Yeah."

"How?"

"Don't know."

"Not a clue?"

"The usual way I guess."

"Bah!"

"…"

"Sorry, mate."

"What?"

"This is a joke!"

"No.", too calm.

"FUCK!"

"You said that already.", Harry looked at him, before he returned his gaze to the sky.

"Still – fuck!"

"That's what I thought."

"And now?"

"No clue. Any idea?"

"Nope."

"Lupin said I should talk to him, see what he knows…"

"Seems logical."

"Guess so."

"But?"

"I'm afraid."

"That he'll scream at you, give you detention?", Ron asked incredulously.

"That he'll reject me, rather."

"Oh."

"…"

"I guess that's the worst he could do, couldn't he?"

"Yeah. I mean, he can hardly punish me for being his son. I mean, its his fault, somehow."

"…"

"Am I making sense?"

"Not to me. Ask Hermione, but she's busy with ferret.", Ron snorted.

"Yuk. Wouldn't want to interrupt them."

"He should be a rabbit, not a ferret, the way they're-"

"I don't want to hear, really!", Harry said embarrassed.

"Really, Harry, you're such a virgin!", Ron mocked.

"Just because everybody else did it already, I don't have to!", he said angrily.

"Sure not, but even Neville got Susan laid. Don't you think a girlfriend would do you some good, at least you'd get some!", Ron pointed out.

"As if IT was everything in the bloody world!", Harry spat annoyed.

"You don't know what you're missing!", Ron smiled broadly in remembrance of Padma.

Harry growled. Everybody had a girl or boyfriend now: Hermione and Draco, Ron and Padma, Dean and Parvati, Neville and Susan, Seamus and god-knows-who, Lavender and Terry Boot (who would have thought the shy Ravenclaw had it in him!) and he? Nothing!

But then his situation was a tad more complicated.

"Ron?", he asked silently, a little nervous – okay, extremely nervous!

"Yes?", the redhead asked.

"Do you think people would like me even if I wasn't the boy-who-lived?", he swallowed.

"Of course, you dolt, you're a wonderful person."

"Thanks."

"I already thought you wanted to tell me you're gay!"

"Me? Not bloody likely!"

"Yeah?"

"I don't have anything against them, though.", Harry said, "DO you?"

"I'm the brother of Percy or Charlie Weasley, how could I?", Ron laughed.

"Are they?"

"Percy is bi. I caught him with some guy one day behind the Quidditch stands, last month. Don't know about that guy, but it's good to see he has overcome that think with Penny."

"Yeah. I felt so sorry for him. Hi whole life gone within twenty-four hours. Bang!"

"Hmm, pretty nasty. Mum said he sat there like dead, clutching that bootie she was knitting. Gods, it was all bloody!", Ron exclaimed shakily and Harry patted his back.

"It's over now."

"Yeah. Anyway, about Charlie, it's really no secret. He used to have a terrible crush on Lupin, did you know? They even went out a few times, before Voldemort came back. I think they're still, you know, together now and then, but with Charlie in Romania, they haven't got much time.", he grinned, "so they use their time with all kinds of-"

"RON!"

"Virgin!"

"Pah!", Harry pouted.

"Sissy!"

"Never!"

"Git"

"That's my father's title!", he sighed and looked at Ron helplessly.

"Go look for him. he'll probably want you to come.", the redhead encouraged.

"Now?"

"Yes.

"O – okay. See you later.", Harry took a deep breath.

"Maybe you should make your will first?", Ron shouted after him.

"Bastard!"

"Nah, that's you."

He had just finished the Wolfsbane potion for Lupin, when somebody knocked on his office door. As it was Saturday and a Hogsmeade weekend, he could count his students out. Albus or Minerva would have used the floo, so he was not surprised, when Potter entered timidly.

Well, not really Potter, but Snape. But that would mean the boy was his son and Severus could not believe that. The boy simply looked too much like James to be his.

But then he looked up and was confronted with the truth: Harry did no longer look like James. In fact, the boy looked a lot like himself.

/Damn!/, he thought to himself, there was no denying it!

The problem was, that he had denied it up to that moment, and when the boy stepped nearer to him, he was at a loss of what to say or do.

"Professor?", Potter – no, Snape, no… that boy (!) asked.

"What?", he growled, unsure what was expected of him. Surely the boy would not want to be all cuddly, would he? No, not with him. And of course Severus did not want to cuddle the boy either, after all – it was his son.

The realization struck hard and Severus tumbled back, steadying himself on his desk.

"Professor? Are you alright?", the annoying brat again.

/Your son!/, a voice whispered.

"What do you want, Potter?", he snarled, returning to be his charming self.

"I… I wanted to talk to you, about… you know.", the imbecile stuttered and Snape groaned inwardly. Why had the boy to disturb him now? Why not tomorrow or-

/Stop being so pathetic!/, he scolded himself mentally and glared at the black-haired teen.

/So much like you!/, the voice babbled again to his great dismay, but he found no way to stop it. Was he, a death eater and master of Occlumency, finally going all soft and fluffy?

Not bloody likely!

Harry observed his fa- teacher insecurely. Since he had entered, Snape was acting odd, seemingly caught up in thought. Suddenly he snapped at him, but never regarded Harry's answer, once again unresponsive to everything. After some minutes Harry grew desperate, fidgeting forth and back, eventually waving his hand in front of Snape's face.

That did it.

The Potions master snapped back to reality and gave him one of his infamous death-glares, before he sat down behind his desk, somehow gracelessly and very un-Snape-like.

Harry swallowed.

"Sir, I_"

"You want the truth?", he interrupted the stuttering.

"Yes, please, sir.", Harry replied.

"Sure? If you're expecting a sappy love-story, you'll have to search elsewhere.", he growled, but the boy did not move, but looked at him expectantly.

"Fine. Your mother was engaged with James Potter for about three weeks, when they had a big quarrel and we ran into each other in Diagon Alley. Since I knew her from school, we had a drink, or better, more drinks that good for either of us and when I woke up, she was lying next to me in a dirty little room in a cheap hotel in Nocturne Alley. I have no idea what happened in between the early evening and that morning, but the evidence was quite clear. She apologized to me, before I could say anything, and left in a haste. Later I got to know she married James and they had a baby. It never occurred to me it could have been mine.", he snorted at the irony of that. Had he not yearned after her touch for years? But of course a noble Gryffindor would never get acquainted with a filthy Slytherin – obviously a wrong assumption, he chuckled evilly in his head.

The boy stared at him incredulously as if in trance.

"So sorry to destroy the perfect picture of your mother, she wasn't perfect.", he smiled menacingly at the deadpanned boy. A part of him screamed desperately he should take it all back and comfort the boy, while the rest of him cheered eerily at scaring the boy away. Better for the brat anyway!

Potter swallowed.

"Then we will have no ties, right?", he asked coldly and for the first time, Severus felt intimidated by the boy. Was that the image Voldemort had seen before his destruction?

"No personal ties. All Snape properties will of course be yours after my death, but apart from the obvious, no ties, right. I do not need a whining brat in my life."

"I'm not whining!", Potter said angrily, his eyes blazing. Lily's eyes…

/Stop dwelling in the past, Severus!/, his inner voice scolded and he snarled again.

"Get out of my sight, boy. I have no use for freaks like you!"

That did it quite well. The boy jumped up and, his chair hitting the ground, he turned to leave. A glass jar exploded next to his head, but Snape did not notice. In fear he stared at the retreating figure, who's eyes were slowly turning back from red to green.

In the corridor, Draco Malfoy jumped aside, when a flash of black and skin rushed by. Staring back at the swirling robes, he wondered who the stranger was and continued his way to the head boy and head girl rooms, his and Hermione's!

In front of the gargoyle, Harry spat the password, "Ice Mice!", and stormed up the stairs into the headmaster's office. Without knocking, the opened the door and ran into McGonagall and Flitwick, who stood beside the desk.

"Mr. Potter, what are you thinking you're doing?", the witch asked sternly.

"Sorry Professor, I need to see the headmaster. It's urgent."

"Any problems?", she asked concerned.

"Personal.", he replied shortly, "Is Dumbledore here?"

"No, the headmaster is currently asleep. He is not to be bothered."

"But I need to see him!", Harry said desperately, his anger fading quickly.

"Then wait for god's sake.", Flitwick said, rubbing his temples.

"You could help me, too!", Harry suddenly said. After all Flitwick was the charms teacher!

"And how?", he asked friendly. Mc'Gonagall eyed him disapprovingly, but she knew right now was a troubled time for Harry.

"Can you put a charm on me, that I look like myself again? At least for a while, before the charm has to be refreshed?", the student asked and Flitwick raised his eyebrows.

"Why would you want that, Mr. Potter. Surely the effect of that prank will wear off on itself soon?", the teacher inquired confused. Mc'Gonagall, of course, knew better.

"Is that, what you want, Harry?", she asked gently. He nodded.

"Don't make me explain right now, okay, Professor?", he asked and she smiled sadly. Obviously things were not going all too well, then.

Flitwick exchanged glances with his colleague and asked Harry to sit, before chanting the invocation to apply the old looks. Somehow it did not work and he tried another charm, this time simply concealing the current appearance with his memory of the former. It worked.

Relieved, Harry left the office, not noticing the worried face of the headmaster, who had just entered the office from another door.

"Harry?", somebody asked from behind.

"Oh, hey Ron!, the black-haired boy forced a smile. Ron's face fell.

"It didn't go well?", the redhead asked and Harry shook his head.

"No, not at all."

"Your looks are back.", Ron stated.

"Yeah, Flitwick applied a concealing charm. At least I don't have top look like the git anymore and we can tell the world the prank has worn off!"

"But Harry, I though you wanted a family, even if, well, it's Snape!", Ron asked desperately confused.

"Yeah, but we should have asked Snape first, if HE wanted a family!", there. The anger was back.

"Don't tell me the bastard rejected you.", Ron asked sharply. You would only hear that voice from him, if he was really, really pissed off.

"He did. 'I have no use for freaks like you!'", Harry quoted and Ron froze in anger.

"Excuse me!", he yelled, control failing, "I'll be back. Wait for me in the commons."

Ron ran off, but Harry did not feel like returning to the Gryffindor tower. Instead, he ventured out onto the grounds, walking long the lakeside, nearing Hagrid's hut. He had not visited the half-giant for quite some time, so he decided to step by. Talking to Hagrid might help.

Knocking on the door, the groundskeeper opened, a wide smile on his face.

"Ah, 'arry. Do come in, 'was jus preparing some stuff for t' next lesson. Sit. 'ave some tea an biscuits. They're on the table.", Hagrid smiled and threw something, that looked like a liver into a cage in one corner of the hut.

"They don like t'e cold outside. Must keep 'em warm near the fire! Nasty little things, these Cornish pixies. One wouldn't think they wer' tha dangerous, but the teeth are poisonous and the claws sharp as razors. 'ave them for the third years."

"Interesting, Hagrid. Can you tell me something about dragons?", and he would be distracted for the rest of the afternoon…

For the second time that afternoon he was interrupted by the banging on the door. This time it was much louder and angrier, though. Probably Minerva, he thought.

But it wasn't. Instead a very red-faced Weasley stood there, fuming and panting from the run down to the dungeons. Before Severus could react, the Gryffindor and lounged at him and smashed him, unprepared as he was, into the next desk. But then his long trained survival reflexes ticked in and he pointed his wand at the student, restraining him with the body bind curse. When he deemed it safe, he released the boy's upper half.

Instantly, Weasley began fuming and yelling at him. Deducting points now and then, Snape waited for the boy to calm. What on earth had pissed him off so much?

But then he remembered, that Weasley was Harry's best friend and it was likely idiotic Potter had told his best friend everything.

"Mr. Weasley!", he bellowed, his temper rising with the accusations thrown against his head.

"You fucking son of a bitch! How dare you call him that!", the redhead ranted on, but stopped, when no reply came forth.

"How dare I call him what?, Snape asked annoyed to no end at his students disrespect.

"A freak! Didn't you read that fucking (Language, Weasley!) article in the prophet about his home life? Have you any idea how much you hurt him?", the boy was nearly crying with anger. Grumpily, Severus admitted to himself, that he had been unfair on the brat, but he could not afford the boy hanging around with him or relying on him. Severus could not allow that.

"What I call my son is non of your business.", Snape said, regretting it immediately.

"Then for Merlin's sake treat him like a son! He deserves it!", Weasley stated.

"I owe him nothing. The boy has to learn to rely on himself without people cuddling him all the time or he will suffocate on his own arrogance.", he yelled.

"Harry never wanted the fame. When will you admit that? He never wanted to stay in the spotlight, but they leave him no choice. Did you know that all he ever wanted was a family, and that you are denying him his heart's greatest desire?", the Gryffindor yelled back.

"What have I to do with that?", now he was being unreasonable, but he could not think, feeling guilty and self-conscious.

"You are his FATHER!", Weasley shouted and broke the spell restraining his legs. Maybe it was Severus' own weakening, but he did not hinder the boy, when he hit him again, slapping him hard and punching into his face, before he seemingly saw, what he had done and retreated, looking scared, and ran.

Severus did not get up from the floor, where Weasley had slammed him. He did not realize blood was oozing from the back of his head and nose. All his thoughts were circling Harry.

His son.

Was Weasley right, when he said he, Severus, was denying Harry his dream. Was it true, that Severus had denied all reason and pretended Harry was James to override the affection for the boy, that had settled in his heart the moment he had laid his eyes on him? Was it the jealousy, that Harry stood in the spotlight, while he, risking his life every day for the light, never was acknowledged, always the mistrusted death eater spy, as Moody still called him.

His son…

The moment his hand touched something wet he knew he had gone too far. Yes, he wanted to yell at Snape, hurt him with words, but he had never intended to hit a teacher, most certainly not Snape. Surely they would expel him now.

Still, Snape was bleeding a lot. Scared like shit, Ron raced up the stairs to the infirmary to alert Madam Pomfrey. The mediwitch had sent him to the headmaster, who had taken him with him back to the hospital wing, where Pomfrey had levitated Snape, whose pupils were unnaturally wide, as he lay on the bed, a blood soaked bandage around his head.

Pomfrey bustled in between them, mixing this and that. Snape gulped down several potions and looked up to Dumbledore. Ron swallowed and hid behind the headmaster.

"What happened, Severus?", Dumbledore asked and Ron steeled himself.

"I fell. I think it was the fumes of one of Mr. Longbottom's messed up potions. Anyway, they should be gone by now as I was just cleaning up the cauldron. A student would have probably harmed himself by doing so…"

Ron did not believe it. Snape was lying for him. Or had the Potions master lost his mind somehow? Or both? He was not sure, but Dumbledore seemed satisfied with the answer.

Poppy shoed them out, mumbling something about required rest and concussions. He would have been worried all day, if Snape had not blinked one eye at him mischievously.

/Snape – blinking – mischievously?/

The Potions professor had definitely lost his mind!

On his way to the Gryffindor tower he also met Harry once again, but decided not to mention the incident with Snape. Harry did not ask where he went either.

In the common room Harry excused himself and went to bed. Ron, not really in the mood to retire for the night sat down with the other boys of his year, when Seamus eyed him warily.

"Can I talk to you, Ron?", the Irish boy asked blushingly.

"Sure. What's up, man?"

"May I go out with Ginny? Listen, I swear I'll never betray her and I'll treat her good, I swear!", Seamus pleaded, "I know about my reputation, but she's different!"

Ron was bluffed.

"Erg - guess that's Gin's decision, not mine.", he stammered and Seamus smiled gratefully, before winking over to Ginny, who rolled her eyes and smiled, before she came over to them and sat on Seamus' lap. Ron shook his head and began chatting with Dean, until Hermione came in, what she did rarely there days. Behind her followed Draco, looking around the Gryffindor common room sceptically.

"Red.", was all he said to comment, while Hermione dragged him over to them.

"I hope it's all right that I brought him.", she smiled at them and hugged Ron, what earned him a glare from Malfoy.

"Sure, Hermione. He's family.", Ron half-joked and Malfoy's eyes widened, "Come have a seat you two."

Lying between the twisted sheets, Harry heard the laughter from the common room beyond, but the stinging in his chest would not let him join in. All his life, he had hoped that one day, maybe, perhaps – but he had just smashed all his hopes, treated his hopes like waste and ordered him to leave.

/I have no use for freaks like you!/

The tears stung in his eyes and he did not notice the door open. The noise from downstairs got louder and more silent again, when the door closed.

"Harry?", Neville's concerned voice asked.

"Yeah?"

"Why aren't you downstairs with the others? Something happened?", the plumb boy asked.

"No, don't worry Neville. I'm just tired. Long detention with Snape.", the last word was spoken shakily, but Harry hoped Neville overheard that.

"Alright. He can be right a git, but in my private lessons with him he can be quite nice. I think most is a shell. But he shouldn't act so angry all the time.", Neville said a little sad and returned back downstairs. The others looked at him expectantly, but Neville only shook his head. Draco furrowed his brow.

"What's going on, Ron. You look like you'd know.", he asked briskly, but the concern showed through in his voice.

"I know, but he would not want me to tell. Ask him yourself, when he shows up again.", Ron answered calmly.

"Have you seen Snape today?", Dean suddenly asked, "When I asked Pomfrey for a.. never mind, but he was there, all beat up and stuff! Looked terrible, but not enough not to banter with Pomfrey about letting him go."

"Erg.", that came from Ron, "I did."

"You did what?", Draco asked.

"I beat him up, not intentionally, but I lost my temper, after what he did to Harry- I should not have said anything!", he groaned.

The others stared at him in shock.

"But would he not try to get you expelled?", Hermione asked confused.

"Actually, he lied to Dumbledore, said he had lost consciousness because of some fumes from one of Neville's potions.", Ron looked embarrassed and Neville chuckled.

"Why would he do that?", Draco was clearly enraged.

"I suppose he felt guilty, or he hit his head too hard. Poppy said he had a concussion.", Ron said and swallowed, "Still, he deserved it!"

"But what DID he do?", Hermione asked stubbornly, "It must've been really bad, if you beat him up like this. And why would he feel guilty? Because of Harry?"

"I suppose.", Ron answered, shifting around the truth, "I cannot tell you everything, but it remains, that he called Harry a worthless freak and you know how that hurts Harry."

"Oh dear…", Hermione whispered and Draco gently rubbed her shoulder.

"I still don't understand.", he mused, "Why would Professor Snape do that. He never looses his temper, not because of his students anyway."

"It's rather complicated. Only Harry can tell you, but it took some time for him to cool down after he confronted Snape.", Ron sighed.

"Confronted him about what?", Hermione asked, but Ron only shook his head.

"Then it was Harry I ran into earlier in the dungeons. I did not recognize him then.", Draco added, slightly confused, "He seemed pretty pissed to put it lightly."

"Had his reasons.", Ron said grimly.

"He looked different after that… morning", Ginny said concerned, "but earlier he just looked like himself."

"Concealing charms.", Ron huffed and leaned back in his chair.

"Oh.", Ginny said and swallowed, "It was my fault.", she said eventually.

"How?", Seamus asked.

"You know a had that crush on him for years, but he was never interested?", she asked and he nodded, before she continued, "I tried a love-potion on him. It was silly and I don't know why I did so, but it did not work as it should have."

The others looked at her in shock ,apart from Ron and Hermione, who already knew.

"Anyway, I botched it up, realized I did not even love him anymore and hoped he'd be alright.", Ginny sighed and looked apologetically at her new boyfriend, who shrugged and hugged her tightly.

"Then why did he look so different?", Hermione asked, "I have to look that up!"

And so she dragged her boyfriend along to the library, leaving the other chuckling Gryffindors behind.

"Some thing never change, do they?", Neville laughed and the others joined in.

The next day, Harry got up before the others and went to breakfast early, hungry, because he had missed dinner the day before. The only other occupants of the great hall were Dumbledore and Sprout, drinking coffee at the staff table, and Hermione, head buried in a book. She looked, as if she had not slept all night.

"Harry!", she greeted him eagerly as he sat down beside her. He smiled and looked at the title of the book, freezing. It was about concealing charms, applied on persons. She searched his eye worriedly and he sighed.

"What's going on, Harry?", she asked.

"What do you know so far?", he asked back.

"Ginny tried a love potion based on appearances on you, one of the few that are not dark magic, as the effects are temporary and not very strong. It went wrong and you black ed out. Then you started looking different, but now you're back to your former looks. Ron said it's a charm, too and I know it has to do something with Snape, because Ron went berserk at him. Now Snape has a concussion and is lying in he infirmary."

"Oh.", Harry answered. He had not know that.

"Well?", his friend asked impatiently.

"Ginny's potion reacted wrongly with a charm applied on me since I was very little. A concealing charm. What you saw the last day was not a prank, what is the official version, but the truth, my true face, or at least partly."

Hermione gasped.

"But that's illegal! Who would do such a thing?"

"My mother I suppose. Nobody knows for sure, but I believe she wanted to conceal, that I am not her husband's child, either to him, because she cheated on him, when they were already engaged, or to the whole world, I don't know.", he summarized.

She gulped, swallowed and chocked, staring at him in horror. Then the pieces fell together.

"It's Snape.", is wasn't a question.

"Yes, apparently so. He says they got drunk together after a lover's quarrel between my p– my mother and James.", he told her in need to speak to somebody.

"Hold on! How can he tell you that just like… that bastard!", she fumed, "Now I see why Ron beat him up!"

"He really did? Won't they expel him?", Harry asked concerned.

"Ron said Snape lied to Dumbledore about the incident. Said it was some potion fumes.", she told him absentmindedly, trying to analyse Snape's motives.

"Oh.", he replied surprised.

"What happened between you two anyway?", she asked.

"I asked him about my mother and he told me, then I asked him about keeping ties and we agreed to have none, except for my inheritance. Then I asked why and he said I…I…"

"Ron told me that. You Aren't, you know, Snape just exploded."

"Actually, I exploded, along with one of his jars. He seemed pretty scared then.", he grinned.

"Oh. Try to keep your temper, okay, Harry?", she berated him.

"I'll try, sincerely.", he answered, while the hall slowly filling with students.

In his office, Dumbledore conjured some tea, while Snape, just recently given a clean bill of health, paced back and forth. Dumbledore raised his brow in questions and Snape glared.

"How am I supposed to care for him anyway? I'm no… parenting material.", Snape complained to the headmaster, who simply listened, "Albus, say something!"

"Actually I wanted to ask you about your plans for the winter holidays, but since you want to talk about Harry, why not.", Albus opened his mouth for the second time, since Severus had entered his office about one hour ago. (The first time he had said 'Hello Severus'.)

"Oh.", Severus said, once again victim to the old coot's meddling. Stupid mistake to speak before being asked, he mentally cursed. Now there was no way to escape…

"What do you want?", he sighed and took a seat.

"How are you two doing, my boy.", blue eyes twinkled, evilly, in Severus' opinion.

"I am fine. I don't know about the boy.", he stated coldly.

"'The boy'? Is that what you call your son?", Albus asked, voice sad, disappointed.

Severus was seething inwardly. How dare he use the 'I'm so disappointed in you'-look?

"What should I call him instead?", Severus forced himself to remain calm, "I am his biological father, but James raised him. He has no ties to me."

"But James is dead.", Albus reminded him, "And Harry needs the stability you could provide for him. I fear the boy is drifting, Severus. He needs someone to show him the right way."

"You can do that, you're his mentor.", Severus retorted snappily.

"You are wrong there, I fear, my boy. Harry has lost his faith in me after Sirius died, but he kept turning to you, you were his teacher then, the one he could rely on.", the old wizard sighed sadly.

"I kept yelling at him, not coaching him, like a mentor does. I wasn't his mentor."

"Ah, but Harry said so back then. I am still sure he would accept you, even as more-"

"STOP IT!", Severus yelled enraged and slammed his fist onto the tabletop, "I cannot be his father, I can't be anyone's father, I'm filthy…", he sacked against the wood and buried his head in his arms.

Dumbledore came around the desk and pulled the wizard up and over to a comfortable looking couch. Once seated, Severus buried his head in the headmaster's shoulder, safe in the ancient wizard's embrace, and cried his heart out.

/flashback: (Hogwarts, February 1978)/

"Lily would never degrade herself with you, Sniffelus!", James drawled distastefully. Pettigrew laughed high-pitched and Black roared.

"Really, Snape. She is too good for you to even be her bedside rug, Not that anybody would want you in their bedrooms, erg!", he snickered and kicked his stomach.

Severus lay on the ground, curled up to keep their blows from the delicate places, but to no avail. Black held his arms, while James punched his face. Pettigrew's snickers clang in his ears, while James bound him with a full body-bind curse. Lupin was not there.

James knelt by his face and patted his cheek, explaining in a fake-sweet voice,, why body hygiene was important, while Black unbuckled his belt. His robes were pulled up and he felt the leather smacking the fronts of his thighs, higher and higher.

/(May 1978)/

"Really, Snape, you're disgusting!", Black spat at his face and checked the manacles around his wrists. They probably belonged to Filch. The Gryffindor laughed and Potter came in, warding the door behind him.

"No one will hear, and if you tell, Sniffelus, you will suffer. Do I make myself clear?", James asked and shoved him hard against the wall, before the beating began.

"Why?", he croaked, what had he done now?

"You looked at Lily!", James smacked him across the face and drew blood.

"We were… paired up for charms, I…"

Smack.

Later, when James had left the room, Sirius ripped his stained boxers off and touched him. Ashamed beyond believe, Severus closed his eyes and tried to shut the sensations out, that rippled up his spine, but it wouldn't work. His prick got hard and harder, until he was already leaking.

"Please…"he moaned, beaten and broken, his legs all wobbly.

"You're actually begging, faggot?", Black mocked and let go of him.

Severus whimpered and blinked away the tears of shame and hurt. We would not cry in front of Black. But Black was leaving, releasing the chains, that had held him up and Severus crumbled into a heap on the floor.

After that incident, Black or Potter had left him alone, obviously too disgusted to bother with him.

/end flashback/

The twinkle was gone. Albus stroked his charge's back soothingly and Severus let out a last, pained sob, after he had finished sharing two of his most guarded memories with Albus via the mind link they shared at times.

Behind the calm, comforting façade the headmaster boiling with anger. He had known about the fights between the Marauders and Severus, but not once he had believed the rumours about James' and Sirius'… 'escapades'. He was disgusted.

But foremost, his heart ached with Severus, for he loved the grumpy git like his own son.

After several further minutes, Albus hugged Severus a last, tight time and, with one finger, raised his kind-of son's chin. Severus looked away.

"Albus, I…", he trailed off.

"Severus, no. Look at me."

He did.

"Severus, you are a wonderful person behind the mask. Brave, intelligent, calm, understanding, inventive, and you have the wonderful ability to love. Give it- give Harry – a chance. He won't hurt you, but he will bring the sunshine into your life. Trust me."

Severus sighed and nodded.

"But how. I… I treated him like dirt just some hours ago. He could not possible forgive me…", he shook his head and slumped back against the couch.

"He might surprise you.", Dumbledore twinkled at him and served them tea, "What do you plan for the winter holidays, again?"

Harry sat in the Quidditch stands, enjoying the view, when a shadow appeared before him.

"Malfoy? Everything okay?", he asked. The blonde looked paler that usual.

"Wish it was, Potter. What about you?", the blonde asked, sitting down next to him.

"Crazy times. Some revelations, very private stuff.", Harry replied and Draco huffed.

"I see. About Snape?", he dug further.

"Yeah, did Hermione tell you?", Harry asked, praying his friend hat not betrayed his trust.

"Nope. I bugged her all day, but she would not let anything slip. That's why I'm here, begging to be included into the circle of those aware.", he posed exaggeratedly.

"Don't be such a drama-queen, Malfoy. Fine, I'll tell you, but keep it to yourself, or I see myself threatened to tell your girlfriend about that time in the changing rooms…"

"Okay, okay, I understand! No need to blackmail me!", the blonde raised his hands defensively, " How Slytherin of you!"

"My father was a Slytherin.", Harry replied coolly.

"James Potter was a Gryffindor you idiot –", realization dawned, " -ic me, that's the issue, isn't it? But Snape… HOLL SHIT!", Malfoy exclaimed.

"Yeah, Snape is my father, though he did not like the news all that much.", Harry sighed and gazed over the forbidden forest toward the horizon.

"Fuck. My head of house and half-uncle is your father. We're officially related now!", Draco cursed.

"Welcome to the family.", Harry said sarcastically, "Why half-uncle?"

"My father's father had something with his mother. That's why Mr. Snape senior treated him like rubbish.", Draco explained.

"Oh, I see.", Harry said. Was that the reason Snape did refuse him? Because his father had not treated him very good and he was afraid? Not bloody likely, Snape was simply cruel!

But the nagging feeling remained, that Snape might… anyway, it didn't matter anymore.

Severus took a deep breath and entered the Gryffindor common room, easily spotting the Weasley boy, but not seeing his son. But Weasley had seen him (as did everybody else, staring at him in fear mingled with dread).

"Mr. Weasley, a word?", he ordered and the redhead followed him out onto the corridor. Using a secret passageway, they entered an unused classroom on the fourth floor. Seating himself on one of the dusty desks, he waited for the boy to do the same.

"Professor Snape, I'm sorry for the, the outburst last week.", Weasley said timidly.

"Forget it.", Snape said rather harshly, "I have no time to deal with that. I need you to tell me a few things about Mr. Potter."

Ron gulped.

"First of all, where is he?"

"I believe he was taking a walk. Draco went after him, so I suppose they might be near the pitch. It always pulls them there…", Ron answered.

"I see. What did you mean, when you said I denied him his heart's desire. Or were the words randomly chosen?", he continued.

"I phrased it that way, because of the Mirror of Erised. In our first year we accidentally found the mirror and he saw his family in it."

"Ah, fine. One last question: Why does the word 'freak' disturb him so much."

"His Muggle relatives used to call him that. They did not treat him very well. You read the papers.", Ron answered, uncomfortable because he was telling Snape things about Harry that belonged secret. Harry would be mad at him…

"Why did nobody ever inform the headmaster?", Snape asked. If the papers had been saying the truth, then it would have been a case of heavy child abuse and neglect.

"Harry asked us not to and we did not know for sure until last year, when they beat him so much he could not hide it.", Ron said gravely, "Please don't ask me, he would not want that."

"Fine. Tell Harry to see me in my office after dinner today.", Snape growled and exited the room, leaving behind a very confused Weasley.

That evening Severus waited in his office. Without reason, nobody came.

"Mr. Potter?", he approached the boy during breakfast. Harry turned from his toast and eyed him darkly.

"What?", he spat.

/Cheeky today, are we?/

"Detention this evening at 8 pm. Be late and it will be for the rest of the month.", he snarled and glared at the students near him.

"Today is the 31st.", Potter reminded him, mockingly.

"The following two months, I meant to say.", Snape threatened and Harry held his tongue.

At 7:59 the boy knocked on his door and Severus let him wait one minute, before opening.

"In time, I see. Do wonders never cease!", he greeted the brat sarcastically.

"Fuck you!"

"I'm warning you Mr. Potter-"

"I'm not even a Potter! Maybe an Evans, or, if I 'may' say so, a bloody Snape, but don't call me Potter!", Harry seethed and Severus sighed, rubbing his temples.

Harry eyed him warily. Snape seemed sad, even defeated, the way he sat there. Would things actually change now or was it just the silence before the storm?

"Harry, we need to talk.", Severus began.

"Talk?", Harry replied, raising one eyebrow.

"Yes, talk. Yelling, like last time, will not help and after some consideration, I think it best we clear our issues, before we loose control over our emotions and start screaming again."

"I tried to talk.", Harry growled.

"You confronted me in a very unfitting situation. I might have lost my temper."

/Hell would freeze over, before Snape admits being wrong./

But at least he tried now. Harry sighed and gathered his wits.

"I guess I wasn't very diplomatic then.", he admitted, breaking the awkward silence.

"Its only natural to yell, when two Snapes meet. It was always like that and will always be. I guess its some natural law.", Severus said plainly, but in reality it was the admittance of them being family, a step further, but many more to go…

It was ridiculous, but they could not avoid a chuckle.

Severus sobered up first and looked at Harry, who looked back and smiled shyly.

"Does that mean we can have ties?", the boy asked and Severus could not suppress a fond grin stealing its way into the corner of his mouth.

"Yes, there might be some, if you are willing so try. I… am not used to caring for children, or anybody, that is, so I suppose we will some difficulties there… but you can always come to me for help.", the words were simple, but his son seemed to understand the impact..

"I think I'd like that.", Harry answered shyly.

"Yes, … indeed.", Severus said, lost in thought. Then he refocused.

"Sir?", Harry asked, standing in the doorway.

"Yes Harry?"

"Thanks.", the boy smiled, disappearing into the maze of corridors, that Hogwarts was.

Severus shook his head, when he shut the door behind him. Within the sanctuary of his private quarters, he could let his guard down. From the living room he ventured into the kitchen to set up some tea. While the water started boiling, he went into the bedroom to change into more comfortable robes. He also had a quick shower to wash the Potion-repellent grease out of his hair.

Returning to the living room, tea in hand, he settled in front of the fire, stretching his tired limps. He thought about the events of the last week. It had all happened so quickly…

A boy he had disliked greatly for over six years suddenly was important to him, not for any practical reason, but because he wanted to care for him. Was it some weird paternal instinct ticking in, Severus mused and refilled his cup. Sipping the hot liquid, he relaxed more into the worn, fluffy armchair. The flames in the hearth tingled lively against the dark stone and the smell of drying herbs, which hung from the ceiling above the fireplace, made the room even more homely and cosy. Despite the coldness, that would never leave the dungeons completely, he loved the silence down there. The massive stone shut the reality out.

Not long after, he retired for the night and padded into the bedroom. In there, the floor was covered with thick rugs and carpets he had brought along from his apprenticeship in Egypt. The burgundy velvet curtains around the huge four poster bed fit well with the red cushioned couch and the yew furniture. The dozen of long white candles along the stone walls bathed the room in dim golden light. Yawning, he shrugged out of his robes and changed into a short nightshirt, before he pulled the curtains shut to keep the warmth inside and closed his eyes.

But sleep would not come easily. Hours of tossing and twisting the sheets, he could not abandon the thoughts of Harry from his mind. Something had happened he had thought most unlikely in his life, if not impossible.

He had a son.

His son…

It was several weeks later, when Harry awoke from a terrible nightmare, soaked in cold sweat. Obviously, he had been screaming, because Ron sat at his bedside, holding his hand and Neville stood near the bathroom door, eyeing him worriedly.

Then the memory from the dream – no, vision – came back and his eyes widened.

"Ron, run to Dumbledore. Tell him Voldemort knows about Snape! Quickly, I believe he will summon the professor soon.", he directed his friend, who paled and rushed from the dormitory.

But it was not enough. Though his scar was paining him, he stumbled out of bed, grabbed his robe and ran down the stairs. He fell the last few steps, pushed himself up, and raced further, a foreboding tightness in his chest. When he reached the entrance hall, he barely saw the doors close. Frightened to death, he quickly crossed the hall, but just when he tried to open the doors to alert Snape, a hand gripped his shoulder tightly and he stared into the weathered face of the housekeeper.

Filch seemed most happy with his catch and would not let him move or explain, ranting about torture methods he would like to try on him, when the headmaster stormed down the stairs and past them, through the wide open doors.

Only a few minutes later he returned, face chalk white, a grave look on his stern features.

"Harry, come with me.", he said, and Harry followed him through the many corridors to the hospital wing, where Madam Pomfrey rushed to his side.

"Albus!", he scolded, what happened now? The boy looks deathly pale and his scar is burning like-", she gasped at Albus icy glare, "What happened?"

"They summoned Severus this night and Mr. Potter had a vision about Voldemort, in which He knew about Severus true loyalties. Even if the vision was introduced by Voldemort, its content leaves nothing to imagination – He knows!"

The old wizard shook his head and sat on a chair near the window, gazing over the grounds.

"What have I done to him?", he asked solemnly, "Has the boy not suffered enough?"

Pomfrey sniffed and Harry happily accepted the sleeping potion she handed him. He did not want to think about what was certainly going to happen.

His last though, before slipping into blissful unawareness, feared him: He would likely never see his father again!

The moment he apparated to the graveyard he knew something was terribly wrong. On each side of him, a line of Death Eaters kept him from running and he felt the anti-disapparation wards settle over him, before he could react. This was bad!

At the end of the two lines, the Dark Lord was waiting, wand flipping in one hand, while Severus could physically feel the anger emanating from his master.

Before he could sort out his thoughts, the Cruciatus slammed him into the muddy ground. The splitting pain let his muscles convulse, shattered his smaller bones and smashed the capillaries. Bruised and broken, he tried to lift his head, when the curse momentarily stopped, but his body would not cooperate. Praying to be released from this world soon, he tried to shut everything out and closed his eyes, but even if the pain lessened eventually, he survived. Too weak to resist, they forced some potions into him. After those, he barely registered the change of surroundings, nor the heavy chains fastened around his throat.

Some hours later he awoke at the sound of dripping water. Slowly, he turned his head, but stilled immediately, when a sharp pain ran down his spine and spread over his whole body. His shaking limbs would not stop moving, though, and thereof he had to endure the never ending cramps and jolts of pain.

Something, or somebody, he did not know, moved somewhere to his right, but it was too dark to see. He must have blacked out at some point, because when he woke up again, some dirty sunbeams were falling trough a tiny, barred window in the ceiling.

A throaty laughter from the other side of the room caught his ears. Damn – he knew that voice, but how could it be?

"Black."

"Right, Sniffelus. How wonderful we meet again, and under such pleasurable circumstances!", Black croaked, looking haggard and dirty on the stained straw he was lying on. Bloodstained. Just like the rest of the tiny cell.

"What are you doing here, Snape? Finally blown your cover, he?"

"Why aren't you dead?", he tried to snarl, but out of his throat only came a whimper.

"Dead? Me?", Black asked confused, "Oh, the veil, right!"

"…"

"Never wondered, how the Death Eaters got into the Ministry?"

"Why would I?", Snape asked, shivering on the cold floor.

"They used a magical portal, which, by chance, was the veil I fell through. Unfortunately the other end was guarded and I was taken prisoner."

"That was over a year ago!", Snape muttered against the floor and Black snorted.

"Took you some time to find me, then. I think I was unconscious most of the time, anyway. In the early stages of my stay they liked to torture me now and then, but I guess they lost interest or are too busy. I suppose Riddle ordered them to keep me alive, since I could be valuable against Harry. I hope they don't use me that way, though…", Black whispered and Snape agreed. Harry would probably not know how to deal with THAT.

Still, Severus deemed it saver not to tell Sirius about Harry's parentage just jet. He would not survive much longer anyway…

At Hogwarts Poppy Pomfrey did another scan on Harry Potter, her most frequent patient, only bested by Snape. She sighed heavily: Severus had found his place in her heart long ago, when he had been a little boy, haunted by the Marauders, even if she had to admit, that he had not been that innocent himself. She still remembered the day, when the headmaster had found him selling potions to his classmates, who wanted to avoid her lectures or longer stays in the hospital wing. Despite being forbidden to do so, Severus' potions had been an excellent addition to the infirmary stores. Would he ever come back again?

Her current patient was sleeping soundly in his bed. The problem was, he would not wake!

Days went by without a change. Twice a day, a house elf would bring them food, but the pitiful creature never spoke a word. The straw would change itself once a week, Sirius informed him. Obviously Riddle had improved his prisoner's living conditions or they were still needed, Snape thought. Or else they would not have these 'luxuries'.

At night it was still terribly cold, though. It was mid October now and the weather grew colder and rainier with every passing day. At night, they would cuddle up in the straw with both lumpy blankets wrapped tightly around them, but still the coldness creped through the dirty fabric and robes. Chilled to the bones every morning, the sun wound warm the stone for a few hours, before the angle did not fit anymore and it grew cold again.

During the two weeks of their stay, they had actually found an agreement, or at least a truce for the time being. It seemed Black had lost most of his viciousness and cruel playfulness in Askaban. How the man had survived the time there, even sane, was beyond him. But then, Black had been MOSTLY innocent. Maybe it was different then…

The sun had set about an hour ago and Black pulled him closer against his chest. A shuddered sigh escaped the man and Snape readjusted his position, sitting between the other's spread legs, tightly wrapped into the blankets.

"Severus?"

"Yes?", he yawned.

"I'm sorry.", Black whispered.

"For what?"

"For everything we – I have done to you, back at Hogwarts, I mean.", Black looked away, when Severus rose his head.

"Indeed. Well, I guess it doesn't matter anymore.", he replied dryly.

"Yes, it does. I never explained, why we did it.", he gulped.

"Why would you. It was, because I had a silly crush on Lily, or at least, James believed that.", he stated, slightly confused.

"Actually, that was only one of the reasons. I don't think James would have reacted so strongly only because you looked at her. Maybe once, but not… always.", Sirius muttered.

"I see. Care to enlighten me, then?", he faked a sarcastic smile.

"It was because you insulted Remus. You called him a poof all the time and it hurt him.", Sirius explained.

"I see. I guess I would not have said it, if I had thought it to be true.", Snape kind-of apologized and Black nodded.

"And then there was the fact, that Lily actually talked about you quite a lot. It made James furious!", Black smiled at the memory.

"She did?", Severus choked, chuckling quietly.

"And then…", he stopped.

"Yes?", Severus inquired.

"…I wanted your attention, not only her.", Black swallowed.

"Excuse me – what?", Severus asked, helplessly confused. (How very un-snape-ish!)

"I wanted you. I know it sounds ridiculous, but I had a terrible crush on you back then."

Severus' eyes bulged and he choked. Sirius clapped him on the back and he eyed the animagus thoroughly.

"Really?", he asked dead-panned.

"Yeah…", Sirius blushed faintly.

"Merlin…", he muttered and unconsciously snuggled deeper into the other's chest, who draped his arms around the black-eyed man in his lap and sighed, closing his eyes.

Remus sat in a chair next to Harry's bed, when somebody entered the ward. Without looking his heightened senses told him it was his lover: Charlie was home!

Smiling, he turned around and greeted his long-term lover with a warm hug. Charlie smiled against his neck and kissed him lightly, his blue eyes twinkling suggestively.

The werewolf smiled, but turned to Harry once again.

"He doesn't wake up.", he said sadly, "Pomfrey says his body had finally shut down after all the stress over the last month. He will wake up, when he's ready."

"Well then I am relieved. How are the others?", Charlie asked, standing behind Remus and massaging his tense shoulders.

"Most are well. Minerva and Albus are worried about Snape, of course, but Dumbledore said he had a charm on Severus, that transmits his health status and apart from a light cold he seems fine again. All curses were gone after the first two days. They're probably holding him hostage to blackmail us or something. We won't know until they show up."

"I see. And how are you?"

"Alright, I guess. Snape has left a whole cauldron of Wolfsbane in case of emergency and it turned out to be useful. When the supply is gone I'll have to find another brewer I can afford or the shack will be shrieking again.", he sighed and got up, "Let's come to the more pleasant parts, shall we?"

"Randy wolf!", Charlie scolded playfully and Remus growled in anticipation.

Many miles south from Hogwarts, a shivering man pressed closer to the other body wrapped around him. After the conversation that afternoon, they had not talked much more, but the coldness of the cell forced them to cuddle up together or to freeze.

Severus felt the man's hot breath in the back of his neck, but dared not to turn around. Ever since black's admission he had considered his options:

Firstly, he could just ignore it, or at least pretend to do so.

Secondly, he could react negatively to it and hex the mangy mutt back to Friday, if he ever got his wand back.

Or thirdly, he could make the best of it and forgive the brainless idiot for everything. It seemed the most practical thing, considering the situation. And since Snapes are sensible by birth or at least thirty years later, he told himself to do exactly that.

At least Black was warm.

Time went by without many changes. Dumbledore became less and less reliable in school matters, busy with the war, so Mc'Gonagall took over the position as headmistress. Lupin was elected head of Gryffindor. And on October 30th, Harry awoke.

In an Order meeting, Dumbledore asked him, if he was ready to fight Voldemort, defeat him now and forever, and Harry agreed after some moments of thought. The Order and some trusted aurors were summoned to Hogsmeade on Halloween Eve and they apparated to Little Hangleton. Voldemort, surprised, but still prepared, sent his minions into battle, but the higher number of Order members and aurors overpowered them eventually.

A green eyed teenager, seething with anger about his father's kidnapping, faced the Dark Lord in his own lair and a duel not seen since the defeat of Grindelwald 1945 shook the earth for several hours, until a completely unscathed, but very tired boy-who-lived-once-again emerged from the burning ruins of the house.

What happened no one knew exactly, and those who knew kept their mouths shut. Only Harry Potter knew the impact the final curse would have in the end.

/'Anima Dissolve' was something a wizard should not even have heard of. The soul ripping curse was the darkest of dark magic. The only reason that it was not an Unforgivable was, because most wizards did not manage to control it and the Ministry people did not know about these ancient dark magic. It was too old and too volatile for the common people./

In the aftermath of the battle, that in itself was not that grand, but certainly the most important in the war, the Ministry searched many houses of the Death Eater families.

On one sunny November morning, a team of Order members and aurors searched the surroundings of the Riddle estate. Some yards into the woods they found old stables, built against a rocky wall of one of the hills. Sturgis Podmore was the first to enter the modified building: all stable boxes had been walled up and warded against sound. A dead house elf lay on the muddy path between the house and the stables.

Most of the 'cells' were empty, as Voldemort rarely made prisoners, preferring less impractical methods. Only one cell was occupied: Two prisoners, both in shredded, dirty robes and with tangled long hair lay in one corner, mostly hidden by dirty straw and wrapped tightly around each other. They were sickeningly thin and stank.

One raised his head weakly and dull blue eyes settled on the stranger. The man smiled faintly and sank back against the other, loosing consciousness. How long had they got no food and even graver, how long had they been held like this?

Harry Potter sat at the Gryffindor table, chewing on a dry piece of toast, when the former headmaster entered the hall and walked over top him. Since the final battle three days ago he had not been left alone, reporters, friends and admirers constantly at his feet, until Mc'Gonagall had given him a room in her tower to shield him from the press at least for a time. She smiled, when her friend and former colleague entered the room, but she also knew from his owl that morning, that a talk between them would have to wait a little longer.

Dumbledore smiled at Harry, who grinned back, a little sad. The headmaster had reassured him again and again, that his father was still alive, but Harry was loosing hope.

Could it be that…

"We have found him.", Dumbledore simply said and Harry's eyes lightened, "Yesterday a team of aurors and Order people combed through Tom's estate again and they found two prisoners in the former stables. You know and missed them both, by the way."

"Both?", Harry asked confused, but he could ask questions later, "Where is he?"

"Infirmary. They were a little cold, a tad more malnourished and extremely dirty, but they are well.", Albus sighed and Harry jumped up from his seat.

"Can I see him - them - now?", he asked in a hurry. Ron smiled at him, shaking his head.

"Yes, of course. But Harry-"

"Yes?"

"Whatever you may see:", the headmaster looked at him intently, blue eyes blazing, "It is the truth. It is real and cannot be changed. Do you understand me?"

"Y-yes, sir. Can I?"

"Run along, my boy!"

In the infirmary, Poppy Pomfrey sighed heavily, gazing over the many occupied beds now and then. Suddenly the doors burst open and Harry Potter arrived. Luckily he had not been in her care for long, despite all he had done that fateful day.

"Mr. Potter, for Merlin's sake, stop banging the doors like that", she scolded fondly and he blushed.

"Professor Dumbledore said my – uh, Professor Snape is here? And somebody else –can I see him?", the boy fidgeted, twisting his thumbs in anticipation.

"As if I could stop you anyway.", she sighed, "But BE QUIET. They are both asleep!"

She led him to the far corner of the wing, where a large screen hid a smaller part of the room from view. She gave him a last stern look and he walked around the screen.

Whatever he had awaited, it wasn't this!

Two cots stood near to each other, both occupied with long-, dark-haired men, both like family to him. One was his father, Severus Snape, the other his god-father, Sirius Black.

Harry swallowed, blinked two or three times and stared again. A soft moan from his father's bed caught his attention and he sat down on his bedside carefully.

"Dad?"

Bright light played in front of his closed eyelids. Everything was warm and cosy and he tried to move, finding his body responding quite well, for once, without any pain.

/Am I in heaven", he thought warily and moaned at the sheer comfort of the moment, when a timid voice broke the silence.

"Dad?"

Lazily he opened one eye and blinked. The blurred image of Harry Potter came into view and Severus smiled faintly.

"So I am in heaven, right?", he whispered, sorrow and guilt forming in his throat. He had left his son, when he needed him the most. A furrow appeared on the angel-Harry's brow.

"I think you hit your head, sir.", he stated and sat next to him, clasping one of Severus' hands in his, "You and I are very much alive. As is… Sirius."

"Mangy mutt! Won't get rid of that in a long time!", he snorted and smiled fondly at the memory of Sirius over the last three weeks. Obviously the lack of food and water since the 'big bang' had finally taken its toll.

"Dad?"

"Yes?"

"You are alive. Voldemort is dead and Sirius miraculously reappeared and we are all in the hospital wing, well, except for Riddle, that is, of course. How are you feeling?"

"Too good to be real.", he said, slowly taking in the news. Was this real?

"Fine then. Oh, see, Sirius is waking up!", Harry exclaimed and jumped off his bed. The cot wobbled and Severus neck hurt, his stomach growing queasy. Then it was not heaven, but that meant… it was real!

Too much thought, he decided dizzily and went back to sleep.

"Sirius? Siri?", a voice nagged in his head and he turned around, searching for a way to block the noise out. While unwillingly being shaken awake, he began to register the voice as James, but something was odd about it. The smell wasn't right!

"Sirius? Padfoot?", the voice inquired again and Sirius sighed, opening one eye and blinked. Too much sunlight – not the cell, not Askaban, but one never knew where one ended up!

A dark mop of hair appeared in front of his eyes and he blinked again.

"H-Harry?"

"Hi Sirius. I missed you!", the teen exclaimed. That was, why the smell was wrong! Harry's voice had deepened, just like James, but the smell was most certainly different!

"Hey!", he ruffled the boy's hair with one hand, "How're you?"

Harry wiped his eyes and smiled brightly, eyes a little wet.

"I'm fine.", he sniffed and threw himself at Sirius, who hugged his god-son close. But still the smell disturbed him. the boy nearly smelled like…

"You spent to much time in the dungeons, Harry, You smell like Snape!", he grunted and the boy paled a little.

"I…"

"The boy is mine.", the distinct voice of the Potions master came from the other bed – being forced to listen to all that soppy Gryffindor babbling of affection made it impossible to rest! Not that Severus was only the smallest bid envious of them, not him!

"What?", Black asked confused and Harry stared to look rather nervous.

"Siri? I have to tell you something, but please don't be mad, okay?"

"Huh?"

"I'm not James' son. It appears my mother… cheated on him, when she was really drunk, after they had a quarrel…", he trailed of and let the information sink in.

Sirius gulped and stared at Harry.

"Don't be silly, boy, you are James' carbon copy. How couldn't you be his?"

"It's a concealing charm. I had –erg, some problems accepting my identity, so to speak.", Harry admitted and smiled uncertainly. Black was about to respond, when Dumbledore, followed by Lupin, Charlie Weasley, Mc'Gonagall and Flitwick entered the ward.

"Ah, there you are!", Dumbledore smiled happily and sat on a bench near the window. Mc'Gonagall stared, gulped and sat down beside him, breathing heavily. Flitwick eyed with confused and Charlie Weasley (who had been on the team with Podmore) smiled knowingly, while Remus had frozen in his spot, amber eyes wide with realization.

"Oh my god!", he exclaimed faintly and sat on a chair beside Sirius' bed, "Is that really you?"

While Sirius smiled, Harry moved out of the way, luckily so, because in the next moment, Lupin had launched himself at the ex-convict and was crying helplessly. Minerva pulled out her handkerchief to dry her eyes and Flitwick smiled fondly, while Severus' turned away from all the cheerfulness.

"Dad?", the uncertain voice once more broke the relative silence and Severus turned his head slightly, gazing up into his son's watery eyes.

"I'm happy you're here.", the boy smiled shyly, barely keeping up his composure, before the brave mask shattered and he broke down near the bed, sobbing against the bed frame. Alerted, Severus sat himself upright, fighting the dizzy feeling of nausea. He reached for the boy's shaking shoulders and pulled him up and into his arms. Harry compiled greedily.

Wrapped up securely in his father's arms, the many stoked up tears finally fell. Severus, slightly uneasy with the flood of emotions, stroked his child's back soothingly, whispering nonsense into his ear.

From the other side of the room, Minerva and Filius eyed him, astonished, while Dumbledore smiled broadly, like the Weasley, Charlie, he believed, but lately one could not be sure anymore, with both elder brother's having their hair grown out. They looked almost identical, but then, Bill would not stand there, being tied to the wheelchair, he remembered darkly.

Harry's sobbing grew weaker and Severus lifted his chin, looking straight into the green orbs.

"You will never suffer again, I promise.", he vowed and his son smiled, the last tears drying on his cheeks. From the other bed, Remus came over to them and hugged Harry tightly.

"We will always be there for you, Severus, Sirius and I. Keep that in mind!"

"You forgot the whole Weasley clan, Hermione, and me!", a voice suddenly came from the door and they all turned around. In the entrance of the hospital wing stood Hermione, Ron, Draco, who had spoken just then, Percy and the twins. Arthur, Molly and Bill also entered, the last in his wheelchair, but radiating joy and optimism nevertheless.

"You'll always be a part of the family!", Bill smiled and they all settled around their beds.

Finally, all the people important to him were back with him, well apart for James and Lily, but Harry knew, they would always be there for him – in his heart!


End file.
